Sometimes God is subtle, He whispers truth, and sends a
gentle wind to guide me. Sometimes I hear Him, but other times I let the hustle
and bustle of life keep me from hearing His still small voice. Lately though,
He's been speaking to me LOUD and CLEAR! I keep hearing the word forgive.
"Then Peter came to Him and asked, "Lord, how
often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?" "No, not seven times," Jesus replied,
"but seventy times seven!" ~ Matthew 18:21-22
"The number seven often has a highly
significant meaning in Scripture. In the book of Hebrews, the number seven is
shevah, which comes from the root savah, which means "to be full, to be
satisfied." The number seven often, therefore, speaks of a complete work
(but not always). In this passage Christ is telling Peter, "Down here, the
need to forgive never ends. You must forgive again and again and again." ~
The Storm Inside by Sheila Walsh
How do you forgive? Let's start by learning what
unforgiveness is.
"Unforgiveness - Holding a debt over someone
else. Not allowing for mistakes, carelessness, or weakness. Making someone pay
for something Jesus already paid for." ~ Rebekah Royal WOW!!! Hard truth
right there!
In Ephesians 4:32 we're told to forgive because we
have been forgiven. "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving
each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
We are already forgiven, it's when we confess those
sins that we can rejoice and be free in that forgiveness!
So how do we forgive others? "It feels really
good when a friend forgives us after we have done something bad. We can be
friends again and have fun together. When your friend asked you to forgive him
(or even if they don't ask), remember how it feels to be forgiven, and forgive
your friend. Jesus is our best Friend, and He ALWAYS forgives us when we do
something wrong. Forgive friends and you will be more like Jesus." ~
Bedtime Devotions with Jesus by Johnny Hunt
Look back and remember all the things Jesus has
forgiven you for, if you are like me, there is a lot!! Remember what it feels
like to be forgiven. Remember that nothing and nobody (except Jesus) on earth
is perfect. We have to allow room for imperfection in others, just as we would
like to have others allow room for our imperfections. ~ Judy Reamer
In my flesh, I'm a bit of a grudge holder. I let small
things pile up until I finally explode with frustration on the person who seems
to be pushing my buttons. What the Lord has been teaching/reminding me, is that
I am no longer to live in my flesh, but “in Christ as His new creation” (2
Corinthians 5:17). When Christ died on the cross, He didn't just die for my
sins, He died for everyone else's sins too (including that button pressing
person. Say what?!!) I've been reminded that our debt is paid. So when someone
says or does something that hurts my feelings, I can "let it go, let it
go" and give my hurt to God, remembering that he/she doesn't owe anything
for that debt because Christ's blood already paid for it. Remembering that,
makes it a lot easier not to hold onto the hurt and to be forgiving.
